A survey found that the number of shengnyu, or "leftover women", is rising in Shanghai because women are believed to be too aggressive in relationships, according to the Shanghai newspaper Labor Daily.

The term "leftover women" is widely used in China to refer to unmarried women.

More than 70 per cent of Shanghai men polled believed that a husband does not need to earn more money than his wife as the city has seen a rise in women in positions of power, the survey said.

The survey, based on replies from 1,300 single people at a local matchmaking event in November, also found that 90 percent of those surveyed think it is acceptable for a wife to be five years older than her husband.